5.25 PM Thursday, 28 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:57 06:11 12:27 15:53 18:37 19:51
28 March 2024

Dubai power demand to grow 9% this year

We hope by the end of the month we'll commission the first gas turbine from M station. (SUPPLIED)

Published
By Karen Remo Listana

Dubai's demand for power will continue to grow by nine per cent this year as the emirate continues its economic plans. And despite the mundane global financial climate, Dubai is building an additional 30 per cent capacity to supply increasing demand.

Peak load in the emirate has grown by 6.3 per cent last year and is expected to grow by another 9 per cent this year, a senior official from Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) said.

Peak load or peak demand is the maximum power requirement of a system at a given time, or the amount of power required to supply customers at times when need is greatest. It can refer either to the load at a specific day or time of day. The growth in peak demand is lower than the 15 per cent recorded in 2008 but is higher than other Middle East countries.

"Not many will be aware of the fact that UAE is one among the top-ranked countries in per capita electricity and water consumption,'' Amal Koshak, Senior Manager, Demand and Tariff Management, Dewa, said while revealing the figures exclusively to Emirates Business.

"For Dubai alone, the annual electricity consumption share is 20,000 kWh/capita and daily water consumption share is about 600 litre/capita compared to 120 litre for the international average," she said. At the end of 2009, Dewa had an installed capacity of 7,512MW of power, a 12 per cent increase from 6,676MW in 2008.

To match the growing demand, the utility firm is building an additional 30 per capacity, which will be commissioned over the next two years, its top boss said.

"Currently, we have 7,500-plus MW capacity and 2,300MW capacity is under construction. We hope by the end of the month we'll commission the first gas turbine from M station," said Saeed Mohammed Ahmad Al Tayer, Chief Executive and Managing Director of Dewa.

The M station comprises six gas turbines to the project from Siemens. Much of the 30 per cent extra capacity will come from this station located next to the Jebel Ali L station phase 2 and will have capacity of 2,000MW of power and 105 million gallons a day of water.

The $1.4bn station, which was retendered in September 2006 following the receipt of only one power bid, is expected to be completed in the first half of this year.

 

Keep up with the latest business news from the region with the Emirates Business 24|7 daily newsletter. To subscribe to the newsletter, please click here.